Myths and Legends of the World

Enlil

In the mythology of ancient Mesopotamia*, Enlil ("lord of the
wind") was the storm god and the god of earth and air. He was one
of a trio of major gods that included Anu and Ea, the gods of heaven and
water. Enlil played an important role in creation, separating
heaven from earth, causing seeds to grow on the land, and bringing order
and harmony to the universe.

A complex
deity
who destroyed as well as created, Enlil appeared in many Mesopotamian
myths. In one story he was sent to the
underworld
as punishment for raping the goddess Ninlil. She followed him there and
gave birth to their son, the moon god Nanna. Because Nanna would die in
the underworld, Enlil devised a scheme that allowed his son to escape and
return to the heavens so that he could light up the night sky.

Another well-known myth revealed Enlil's destructive nature. According to
this tale, the other gods rebelled against Enlil because he made them work
too hard. As a solution, the gods decided to create humans to labor for
them. This seemed fine for a while, but as the human population increased,
their noise kept Enlil awake at night. Angered by this disruption, Enlil
sent disease, drought, and a great flood to reduce the number of people on
the earth.

Enlil also appeared in stories in the role of preserver and creator. As
the source of rain, he nourished fields and crops. He also introduced
humans to the pickax and taught them how to use it to build cities. In
some myths, Enlil was associated with agriculture, fertility, and the
seasons.